Tiger Woods watches his birdie try on No. 9 on Monday during the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. / Sam Greenwood, Getty Images

by Steve DiMeglio, USA TODAY Sports

by Steve DiMeglio, USA TODAY Sports

Tiger Woods, who has spent 623 weeks at No. 1 in the world, will return to the top spot for the first time in 29 months after his victory Monday in the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.

"I think it's been years since I've hit the ball this consistently day in and day out," Woods said.

Woods held off Rickie Fowler and Justin Rose in the continuation of the final round, which was halted Sunday when wind, rain and lightning forced a suspension of play. Woods and Fowler had played two holes Sunday, and Woods led by three shots when they teed off at No. 3 on Monday.

Fowler applied some pressure on the back nine, until he knocked two balls in the water on the par-5 16h on his way to a triple bogey.

Woods, not as sharp as he had been in the first three rounds, finished with a final-round 2-under 70, 13 under par and two shots better than Rose.

"Byproduct of hard work, patience, and getting back to winning golf tournaments," Woods said about his return to the top of the rankings.

8: Titles at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, equaling Snead for the most titles ever at a single tournament. Snead won the Greater Greensboro Open eight times from 1938 to 1965 at two golf courses. Woods tied his record for most wins at a single golf course, having also won eight times at Torrey Pines, including a U.S. Open.

3: Victories in 2013.

1: His world ranking, the first time he will be at the top since Oct. 30, 2010.

"I don't really see anybody touching it for a long time," Palmer said of Woods' eight titles at his event. "I had the opportunity to win a tournament five times, and I knew how difficult that was."

Next up for Woods is the Masters, April 11-14, where he will try to end his five-year major drought. His last win at Augusta came in 2005.

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